COP & CRIMINAL
by chickin'SOUP
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto has always believed that he was destined fight crime. However, his certainty is shaken when he is assigned to New York City and gets charmed by the darkly seductive and ever-elusive thief, Uchiha Sasuke. Sasunaru. R&R.
1. New York City

My **debut **story on this (_GOD-AWESOME_) site, so **reviews **will be especially appreciated!

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**Chapter 1 – New York City**

"New York City is seeing a sharp decline in police recruits, and despite the significant decrease in crime rates from the 19th Century, criminal activity is getting out of hand. Their Police Commissioner is enlisting the help of experienced, elite police officers," Chief Tsunade rapped out, pacing the floor. A busty blond, her hazel eyes shone with passion for her line of work.

Naruto excitedly nudged Kiba in the side, whispering with a conspiratorial wink, "I think I know where this is heading."

The canine boy returned a wolfish grin.

Inuzuka Kiba's name was befitting; literally translating into 'fang', and most likely referring to his abnormally elongated canine teeth. His roguish countenance was accented by wild, russet hair and twin scarlet fang-shaped marks adorning his cheeks.

Akamaru, his highly capable police dog, or K9, lay sprawled on the linoleum floor, his great pink tongue lolling out of his mouth. Naruto secretly suspected Kiba loved him even more than he loved Naruto.

Neji and Gaara simply looked impassive; their default, and perhaps their only, facial expression. Hyuuga Neji had seemingly stony, pale irises and long, loose black hair. His partner (in more ways than one) had frosty jade eyes outlined in bold black, and a mop of short, blood red hair.

Shikamaru gazed at the sky outside through half-lidded eyes, but Tsunade knew him better than to think he wasn't paying attention.

Beneath that head of bistre hair, tied up to a high, spiky ponytail, rested an IQ of over 200. Nara Shikamaru just preferred masking his true potential, and secretly relished catching people unawares.

Next to him lounged Temari, idly surveying her fingernails. Her gender in itself made her an uncommon sight, the police force being male-dominated. But despite it all, her shrewdness and tough disposition soon gained her the reluctant respect of her comrades.

"As you might or might not know, their Commissioner is," Tsunade invariably twitched, "Jiraiya, an alumnus from here at Konoha Police Department." Some snickering at the recollection of their notoriously perverted ex-chief ensued.

"He expressly requested for six of _our _best officers, having intimately experienced our exemplary training and development." There was no question about the point she was driving at, but Naruto leaned forward in anticipation anyway, wanting to hear it said out loud.

"I'm assigning you to New York City."

* * *

"Man, the folks from there sure are _huge,_" Naruto grumbled, attempting to squeeze his way between two towering, beer-bellied Americans.

"Shut up man, they might hear your whining," Kiba shot back, similarly fighting his way to their airplane seats. They desperately needed air to breathe, and it seemed that the seats were the only empty spaces on the aircraft.

"Let them hear me for all I care - it's the plain truth. They need to diet," he muttered to himself, but loud enough for Kiba to hear. If there was one adjective that did _not _belong with Naruto, it was 'quiet'.

"Oh come now, most of them aren't all that fat," Temari rolled her eyes. "And how in the world do Neji and Gaara manage to travel so fast in this crowd?"

Sure enough, the pair was miraculously slinking their way through the throng of jostling bodies, and were soon out of sight.

Lagging slightly behind was Shikamaru, observing his surroundings dispassionately and moving with the flow of the crowd. _How troublesome_, was what mostly went through his mind.

He eventually found himself at 13a, a window seat (for easy cloud-watching, evidently). Neji and Gaara had settled into seats 13b and 13c, looking for all the world like they'd been sitting there since forever, whereas the others had only just arrived.

Shikamaru vaguely noted that their fingers were subtly intertwined beneath their bags, but spoke nothing of it. It wasn't his business, anyway. They lapsed into easy silence, while the row in front were buzzing with chatter.

"Hey, hey... you don't suppose we can try some authentic tacos and enchiladas, from their country of origin? Or nachos with melted cheese! Not to mention buying a couple of sombreros to try on!" Naruto prattled on.

"We're not going to Mexico, stupid," Temari deadpanned.

"Then what is NYC famous for?" he asked, pouting, after a lull in conversation.

"I've heard the girls there are those cool, uptown, fashionable hotties..." Kiba trailed off dreamily.

"I suggest you get rid of the trashy stereotypes you have stuck in your head; who knows," Temari paused, smirking savagely, "the space you clear out might be enough for a brain, albeit a puny one."

"Why you-", he balled his hands into fists, meaning to playfully punch her, but Temari skilfully caught his wrists in an iron grip, and he sent her a woeful look. Naruto snickered, making astonishingly fake coughs and saying something sounding suspiciously like, 'what a wimp!'.

Kiba whipped his head around and bared his teeth at him ferally.

Temari wondered if she would get any rest on the plane.

**END.**

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Emphasis through repitition - please **review**! I would be _so_ grateful for _any _comments/criticism you might have! Reviews would mean a lot to me!


	2. Truth Be Told

Thank you all for the **reviews **D': (a stunning grand total of FOUR)! I am stunned, really, you're the best! (_No_ I'm not being sarcastic, truly I am greatly honoured!)

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**Chapter 2 - Truth Be Told**

A rumbling of turbofan engines and screeching of wheels signaled the landing of the Boeing 787. The picture of class, it had an elegant snubbed nose, streamlined body and blade-like tail. It was coloured a glossy white, with a a sleek design of a royal blue underside.

This image was in contrast with its passengers, or more specifically, Temari, Naruto and Kiba.

Temari looked harried and disheveled, like she hadn't slept a wink during the 21-hour flight. Which indeed, she had not, thanks to the incessant bickering of the two chimpanzees she had the misfortune of sitting next to.

_Then again, that would be an insult to the chimpanzees of the world_, Temari mused hazily.

The 'chimpanzees' in question were scruffy and sleep-deprived, but unbelievably, _still _squabbling with undiminished vigour. The issue this time was the packet of peanuts Naruto'd pilfered from Kiba.

"Puke 'em up, ya peanut-o-phile!" Kiba growled.

"I would if I could, and in your face, peanut-whore!" was the oh-so-witty comeback.

"Shut your chimp-holes", Temari mumbled wearily. _If Kiba wants them so badly, he can have mine. _She flung her untouched packet with dead-on accuracy at Kiba's forehead, effectively giving them an excuse to shut up, without damaging their pride.

They wondered what she meant by chimp-holes.

On the other hand, Neji as looked impeccable (without a single hair out of place) as ever.

Gaara looked as capable of beating the crap out of people, as ever.

And Shikamaru looked as bored out of his wits, as ever.

* * *

The moment the assortment of off-duty officers set foot into the Arrival Hall, a stranger in a cropped blazer and pleated miniskirt accosted them, discreetly flashing her police identification card. She then broke into a wide, open beam.

_She certainly is taking 'plainclothes' to a whole new level_, Shikamaru thought.

"Hi guys! I've been waiting here since _forever _for you to show up! How do you like New York City so far!" she said to them, like they were old high school friends coming over to visit. She was bubbling over with enthusiasm, and her platinum blonde ponytail bobbed with her. Naruto caught on quickly and jumped at the chance to play along.

"Well if the bloody slow lines at Customs are any indication of the city itself..." he trailed off, feigning disgruntlement.

"In that case I'll just have to put extra effort in showing you around, and before you know it you'll be loving this city!" Ino's pale blue eyes danced, apparently enjoying the charade.

"So where are th-," Naruto started to say.

"Where's the car?" Gaara interrupted, earning himself twin pouts from the two for cutting short their little game. He sent them withering stares, and Ino hastened to comply.

"Follow me!" she chirped, skipping off, leaving the others to rush after her.

As it turned out, the "car" was in fact a luxurious limousine, complete with the gleaming onyx paint finish, sexy contours and refined chauffeur.

"The police department here really has a lot of money to splash," Kiba remarked drily, giving a low wolf-whistle.

"What are you all waiting for? Come on in!" Ino called, scooting in. The rest followed suit, except for Neji, who did not scoot, but Elegantly Step In.

The interior was every bit as classy, with beige leather upholstery, dual air-conditioning and a state-of-the-art dashboard. It was ridiculously spacious, with a well-stocked mini-bar to boot. The windows were tinted (and probably bullet-proof) for privacy.

Kiba and Naruto were delighted and shamelessly raided the fridge to replenish the energy they lost during the flight. However, Gaara dove straight into business.

"Why bother going plainclothes and putting up an act?" he questioned calculatingly.

"Oh… just safety measures," Ino replied ambiguously, seemingly casual. However, the flicker of wariness in her eyes did not go unnoticed.

"Is there a danger you are afraid of? Someone you're hiding from?" he persisted. Ino's eyes narrowed marginally when Gaara struck alarmingly close to the truth.

"Save your questions for the higher-ups," was all she would say, and Gaara reluctantly ended his questioning.

"Hey Ino, do you have a boyfriend?" Kiba spoke between mouthfuls of chips, and the tension immediately dissipated. Naruto snorted at his obviousness, but it wasn't like Kiba was even _trying _to be subtle.

"I did yesterday, but I dumped him because he was being an ass," she readily answered. "He refused to buy me the gorgeous Prada bag I spotted at the boutique, can you believe it? And it wasn't even one of the more expensive ones, only a few thousand dollars!"

Naruto choked on his cookies, spraying bits onto the floor. Shikamaru pretended not to notice, because cleaning up after Naruto would be too troublesome.

"…uh, yeah, he sounds like an ass," Kiba gulped nervously, suddenly looking less keen than before.

Temari looked torn between being amused at Kiba's reaction and galvanized at Ino's extravagant ways. But soon, she fell into the sleep she didn't have the chance for in the plane. Neji and Gaara were quietly talking in a corner, both being above such chitchat.

Shikamaru entertained himself with cloud-gazing.

* * *

The group finally found them in Manhattan, standing outside the imposing edifice of the New York City Police Headquarters, as the limo sped away to god knew where.

Ino led them up the stone steps and through the high glass doors, into the lobby. Plaques of former commissioners and the like furbished the otherwise sparse walls. The receptionist, a strict-looking woman with her hair up in a tight blond bun, greeted their guide with a nod.

Ino walked right up to the lift, swiped her ID on a reader and keyed in a sequence of numbers with lightning-fast precision. The elevator doors promptly slid open and she pressed the highest numbered button – the commissioner's office.

The lift shot up, giving them the impression that they'd left their stomachs on the ground floor.

In moments they'd arrived at the top floor, and the Konoha officers exited. However, Kiba noticed that Ino remained in the lift. He turned around, hesitating, to face her.

"You're not coming with us?"

But the doors were already closing, and he only caught a glimpse of her face before they shut completely.

Shikamaru walked up to the only doorway on the storey and rang the bell.

"Come in," a faint voice came from behind the double doors. He turned the knob and pushed them open, but in place of the spiky-haired Jiraiya they were expecting to receive them, was a black-haired, fairly young man, with a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"I'm sorry but Jiraiya's busy elsewhere at the moment…" he explained.

"What, that old ero-sennin's busy peeping on girls in bathhouses?" Naruto joked brazenly, and even Kiba had to wince. But to their surprise, the man chuckled quietly.

"On the contrary, he's out dealing with some financial negotiations with the White House," he contradicted Naruto. "And by the way, there _are _no bathhouses here."

"I'm Sarutobi Asuma, and like Jiraiya, an alumnus of Konoha Police Department. I'm the Chief of Department and you will be working under me for the rest of your assignment here," he introduced himself, smiling slightly.

"How long do we have to stay in New York, anyway?" Neji asked.

"As long as it takes," Asuma answered cryptically. Neji stared at Asuma suspiciously, but not once did his smile falter.

"Then why go to all the trouble of enlisting overseas officers all the way from Japan, when you could easily recruit officers from nearer countries?" he pressed on.

"Konoha is one of the most elite police forces globally," Asuma answered without missing a beat.

"Then why choose Konoha, and not, say, Suna? I can testify that they are on par with Konoha, I having worked there before," Gaara added, and Asuma sighed pensively. The others watched him keenly for his answer.

"You bunch just aren't going to stop pressing for answers, are you?" he said rhetorically. "I'll just spare us a lot of interrogating and beating around the bush, by telling the truth."

"The real reason why we've selected Konoha, out of all the others," he took a long drag of his cigarette, secretly enjoying the suspense he created, "is because they have experience in dealing with the Akatsuki."

Gasps, some well-concealed, and others not, were made. The Akatsuki was a criminal organization notorious for their deadly efficiency, and encompassed all aspects of crime. From drug-dealings to assassinations to thievery – the Akatsuki had experts in all fields. They had terrorized the citizens of Konoha for a while, although the police force there held them in check to an extent.

However, they'd mysteriously disappeared a few years back, much to the relief of many. Shortly after, the six of them started work at the Police Department, so the only knowledge they had of the Akatsuki was through the newspapers.

"The ideal officers we had in mind were… older though, and would therefore _have_ the experience we need," he eyed the youngsters drily. "It seems Tsunade had other plans; she wanted to train her up-and-coming officers."

The six of them were momentarily stunned by the implications and the potential danger, and Asuma took this opportunity to properly answer Neji's previous question.

"This assignment will end only when you eliminate the Akatsuki."

**END.**

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Do you like it? Do you _not _like it? **Review**, please, and shoot whatever comments you have!


	3. Lurk the Merriment or Murderousness

**Review** please? They really make my day! :D

EDIT: You might want to re-read? Ha ha but you don't have to, really.

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**Chapter 3 – Lurk the Merriment or Murderousness?**

Truth be told, Naruto didn't mind having to stay in New York at all. After all, his closest buddies were all in it together with him.

_In fact, things are looking fantastic, almost like an all-expenses-paid getaway_, were his thoughts as he pounced onto the lush king-sized mattress and buried his head into the fluffy pillows.

They'd been checked into a ritzy hotel in the high-end area of Manhattan indefinitely, and each had a deluxe room of their own. Currently, the group was assembled in one of the six rooms they'd been given, and Naruto silently decreed the room as his.

Their salary would be equivalent to those of existing police officers. Furthermore, a considerable monthly allowance had been allotted to each of them for living expenses.

In Naruto's eyes, there was absolutely _nothing_ to complain about, as he basked in the warm, ambient lighting so often employed by hotels.

Neji, on the other hand, was fuming uncharacteristically and even Gaara could do little to sedate him.

"How dare Jiraiya _force_ us to _abandon_ our friends and living relations back in Konoha! For some _idiotic_ organization we have _no obligation _to fight against, no less!" he ranted on, not caring who was listening.

The other occupants of the room knew that he was referring to Hyuuga Hinata, his shy, pale-eyed cousin he was ridiculously overprotective of.

"What if Hinata gets into trouble while I'm away? What if she gets seriously maimed? Or…" Neji grimaced agitatedly, "what if she _dies_."

The last word was whispered, like he was afraid that if it was uttered too loud, it might come true.

"What will I say to my family then? How can I ever show my face to them? They will be so disappoin-" Gaara decided he'd had enough of Neji's ranting, and silenced him with a fierce kiss.

Kiba gaped.

Temari gaped.

Shikamaru looked mildly startled, not for the same reasons, but because frankly, he hadn't expected them to come out about their relationship.

Neji, himself, gaped at Gaara. His eyes were comically wide, his jaw was slack, and he would have toppled over with shock if it weren't for Gaara's firm hold.

Gaara stared back unrepentantly.

And Naruto slept among the pillows, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding.

Kiba was the first to break the silence.

"I honestly thought you two would remain bachelors for the rest of your lives!" Kiba chortled. "But it seems like you've found a partner in each other!"

"Co-congratulations," Temari choked out, still in shock at the stunning revelation. Why hadn't she noticed this before? She felt stupid, did not like the feeling, and got even more pissed when she noticed that Shikamaru looked fairly unsurprised.

"You- you knew?!" Temari demanded, irrationally pointing an accusing finger at him. "And you didn't tell us?!" He raised his hands nervously, all too aware of how violent she could be.

"…what help would it have been?" he tried, and instantly regretted it when he was hit full in the face by a pillow snatched off the bed.

_Who knew such soft pillows could hurt so much?_, he rubbed his face wearily.

"So… have you gone all the way yet?" Kiba waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Neji and Gaara looked similarly appalled and outraged, not bothering to dignify him with a response.

_I wonder who's going to tell him?_, Shikamaru shot a glance at the slumbering Naruto.

* * *

"_NARUTO!_" the bloodthirsty banshee from hell screeched, her claws extending to scrape his face…

…oh wait, that was Temari.

"Get up,_ now_," she continued. "Punctuality is a good first impression we want to make."

"Whattimeisit?" he mumbled blearily.

"Five o'clock!" she screamed. "And no, I don't care if work only starts at nine!" She ripped the covers off Naruto and he moaned pitifully at the chilly blast of air that assaulted him.

"If you're not ready in an hour…" she let the threat hang, before leaving the room with a slam.

_7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…_, Naruto thought, granting himself seven more seconds of bliss.

Then, he rolled himself off the bed with much difficulty, landing on the carpeted floor with a dull '_thump_'. He proceeded to half-crawl and half-wiggle in the direction of the bathroom, dragging himself across the plush carpet.

When his head bumped into the bathroom door, he decided he had no choice but to stand up now, and clambered up slothfully, fumbling with the knob.

Entering the shower cubicle, he yanked up the tap and icy water rained down on him, eliciting a high-pitched shriek as he was jerked to complete wakefulness.

He grumbled when he realized he'd been fully-clothed when stepping into the shower, and that his pyjamas were now drenched.

And so began the unusual morning ritual of one Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

The six alighted the bus at the stop outside the police station, an unexpectedly plain-looking office building, albeit fenced in with barbed wire and patrolled by burly guards.

One by one, they showed the guard at the entrance the IDs they'd been issued the day before, and swiped their cards on a reader to open the gate.

Intending to head to the lockers first, Temari asked the guard for directions.

In the changing room, Naruto put on the standard issue full uniform they'd been given, and evaluated his appearance in the full-length mirror.

_I look dashing!_, he flashed a toothy grin at his immaculate reflection. _But there's something lacking…_

He tapped his chin contemplatively. Then lit up with enlightenment – he looked _too_ neat.

He set about mussing his hair up, tilting his cap slightly askew, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt and tucking it out slightly.

_All better!_ He shot his reflection one final admiring glance, since Kiba was grousing at him to stop being such a prissy vain-pot, and stop hogging the mirror.

Temari seemed to have met with Ino in the female changing rooms, and together they went to report for duty at the front room.

Standing next to the entrance, arms crossed, was a towering, muscled man with two vicious scars streaking his face. He motioned for Ino to continue into the room, and beckoned for the Konoha officers to follow him further down the corridor.

His black combat boots clicked sharply on the white tiles, forging on without stopping to wait, until they halted in front of the corridor's last door.

He entered, and watched them file in.

"Shut the door," he barked at a cowed Kiba, the last one in, sharply.

"Morino Ibiki, your superior," he introduced himself gruffly. "As a police officer working here, you will be on the job 24/7. You may get urgent text messages anytime from me, or any other officer, regarding a case, even at 2 in the morning. To get to the scene of crime, you may hail a cab, drive a police car, hitch a hike, whatever." He fixed them with a glare. "Just make sure you get there fast."

"The laws governing the state here are mostly compliant with Konoha's, although you might want to read a few law books to be safe."

"Oh, and regarding the Akatsuki… read up on their files in the Archives. Here's the key," he tossed them at Shikamaru, who caught them neatly between two fingers. Ibiki grunted in approval.

"Jiraiya asked for six of you not because it's a pretty number, but because there are six high-ranking criminals of the Akatsuki. We want you to subdue the _whole_ organisation, but it would be more effective if each of you focused on one of them." He handed them a list with two columns; one for the names of the Konoha officers, the other for the names of the Akatsuki members.

_"Hyuuga Neji - Kabuto  
Inuzuka Kiba - Deidara  
Nara Shikamaru - Uchiha Itachi  
Sabaku Gaara - Orochimaru  
Sabaku Temari - Hoshigaki Kisame  
Uzumaki Naruto - (alias) Shadow"_

And just like that, he'd briefed them on their job – no PowerPoint, no notes, nothing.

The six of them blinked.

Suddenly, a '_plink_' sounded from the window. Ibiki rushed to it and swiftly snapped open the catch, and a silver-haired figure slid in.

The six of them blinked again, not knowing what to make of him.

In a low voice, Ibiki told them seriously, "This is Hatake Kakashi, our double agent for the Akatsuki. He's taking a great risk in coming here, and can't stay for long."

At this, Kakashi smiled, or so they thought, since half his face was hidden under a mask, and one eye was covered with a band. He uttered a simple, "Yo," his uncovered eye curving upwards cheerily. Ibiki looked irritated at his behavior.

"Although he may not look it," here he sent a pointed stare at Kakashi, "he is our primary source of information concerning the organization, and his job is the most dangerous here."

"I don't understand why Jiraiya wants _you_, of all people, to know about him. This is our innermost secret and," Ibiki stressed, "you must _not _tell _anyone_ about him."

However, when they turned to look at Kakashi, he was gone, as soundlessly as he had come. The only indication of his stopover was the open window, curtains fluttering in the breeze.

The six of them stared stupidly at the window.

"You don't need me to teach you babies how you go about doing your job, do you? Haven't you gone through police academy? If you have, scram!" he snapped, and they hastily left, Kiba mindfully closing the door behind him, having learnt his lesson.

"Well, that was weird," Naruto commented.

* * *

The day passed quite uneventfully, with a few street robberies.

Shikamaru, Neji, Gaara and Temari passed the time by looking up the Akatsuki files, as Ibiki had instructed.

Of course, the other two were slacking off on that. Naruto also spent much quality time with the swanky new hi-tech police cars he'd heard were recently imported. He fiddled with the gadgets, blasted the siren (and winced as his eardrums were assailed by a piercing wail) and drove one around the neighbourhood.

He was beginning to think that their assignment would be a breeze, and couldn't' help but feel cheated.

Really, at least _some _danger would be involved?

Little did he know, the _real _criminal activities would begin only after the sun set…

...and reach a frenzied climax at midnight.

**END.**

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I'll update after I get… umm… **10 reviews**? :D ?

Next chapter, Sasuke appears!


	4. Shadow After Sunset

My computer was under attack by hordes of viruses (including Trojans!). D: THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS -overwhelmed-

EDIT: Sasuke is now under an alias (Shadow). I haven't even thought as far as the ending, but I would like to keep as many possibilities open. And if his name is tarnished with crime... it would be _really_ hard for a happy ending with Naruto, wouldn't it?

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**Chapter 4 – Shadow after Sunset**

A tinny series of beeps sounded in a darkened room, and Naruto's hand instantly shot out to read his cell phone's received text message. _23:13_, the in-built digital clock helpfully supplied him with the time.

Although he'd had much difficulty in waking up that morning, Naruto was normally a light sleeper – all police officers had to be, to keep up with their job demands. It was just that the flight trip had deprived him of his much-needed sleep. But now that he'd compensated for lost bedtime last night, his instinctive sleeping habits kicked in.

'_Theft at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street. Single culprit._' the message read.

Despite it being a one-man theft, something told Naruto it was vital that he prevent it. Thinking quick on his feet, he called a cab on his mobile, slipping into a printed tee and cargo pants while he waited for the cab to arrive.

It was a practice of his to stock his pants with all the weapons he might need every night before sleeping, and it certainly came in handy during emergencies like these.

The Konoha Police Department had authority over many organisations, and Tsunade had arranged for all his weapons to be shipped to New York, along with his luggage. Even though, under normal circumstances, such weaponry would be confiscated.

Grabbing his cell phone and a few energy bars off the bedside table, he slipped into sneakers and dashed out of the hotel.

Working in civilian clothes was infinitely more comfortable than in heavily starched uniform. Also, the numerous police caps Naruto had lost over the years during emergencies had cost him a _fortune_. He cringed inwardly when he thought of the ramen bowls he could have bought with that money.

Hopping into the cab, he instructed the cabbie to drive to the police station, and pressed a wad of five-dollar bills into his hand, telling him to keep the change.

After all, it made sense if he drove a police car to the crime scene. That way, he could ignore traffic regulations, saving a lot of time which would have been wasted on waiting for the traffic lights, and keeping to the speed limit.

It also helped that he was itching to try out the sirens for real.

One moment, the neighborhood was all peace and quiet. The next, wailing sirens pierced the air, and a flashing police car tore down the street, a ferally grinning Naruto at its wheel.

* * *

"Metropolitan Museum of Art," he enunciated clearly into the integrated microphone. The cutting edge GPS (Global Positioning System) Navigation System flickered to life, a robotic female voice giving him driving directions. '_Drive straight'_, then '_Turn left at second junction'_, then '_U-turn'._

_Taking a police car for a test-drive work today really was advantageous_, Naruto mused smugly.

He ripped open an energy bar with one hand and munched on it ravenously, the other hand steering the wheel.

Suddenly, he bit into the bar, suspending it with his teeth and freeing both hands to make a sharp swerve. He'd almost collided into a delivery truck; cutting lanes was always potentially fatal. _Or was that a petrol truck?_, Naruto wondered. He shuddered, imagining what could have happened if they'd crashed, and of the explosions if the flammable liquid caught fire.

By the time he showed up at the museum, a blockade of police cars had been formed around the building, and numerous policemen, probably those with night-shifts, were patrolling the perimeter, their guns at the ready.

He displayed his ID and the officers immediately gave way for him to pass.

_The police force here rely on ID cards for practically everything – from identification to access to confidential files_, Naruto realized with a start. _Imagine what could happen if one went into the wrong hands…_

He tore his mind away from the chilling subject, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand.

Ibiki was already there and in charge of the operation, a white speaker in his hand, probably to order the culprit to surrender.

"The thief is running loose somewhere in the complex within the barricade we've formed," he told Naruto. "The alarm system did not detect any intrusion, nor any missing artifacts. However, we sent an officer into the museum and he found the prize exhibit gone from its showcase. It was an heirloom - a ring from Tutankhamen's pyramid, which in itself costs hundreds of millions of US dollars."

"The difficulty of the feat, combined with the stolen object, has led us to suspect that Shadow is behind this," Ibiki continued. "He can bypass even the most complicated alarm systems, and always targets small, but absurdly expensive items. Which is why I informed you about this."

"Gee thanks, _Ibiki_!" Naruto plowed on before his superior had the chance to correct 'Ibiki' to 'Sir', exclaiming, "I'll hunt down that shadow-bastard in no time!"

"You arrived really fast," he commended, as an after-thought. And suddenly looked distrustful when Naruto simply gave him a mischievous smile.

"Ta-ta, now!" he gave a jaunty wave and slipped away, weaving in and out of the policemen.

* * *

Entering the museum, after identifying himself as a member of the police to yet another set of guards, his right hand crept to the gun in his pocket.

Countless other cops were patrolling the area inside as well, and the sheer number piqued Naruto's interest. _Looks like they're really desperate to capture Shadow._

Setting out in the direction of the missing exhibit, a particular policeman far off, and walking towards him, caught his eye. He wore a facial mask obscuring the lower half of his face, presumably because he had a contagious illness.

Perhaps that was the first sign that should have alerted Naruto to a certain fishiness about that officer. If an officer fell ill, he was always advised to take leave from work to recuperate, lest he risk being a liability to the team.

_If _Naruto had looked up the files on Shadow, he would have known beforehand that Shadow never revealed the lower half of his face, and that could have been the second sign.

When he noticed Naruto looking, he met Naruto's gaze squarely and briefly, then looked away; there was nothing suspicious in his behaviour.

However, even from that distance, during that fleeting moment of shared gazes, his eyes chilled Naruto - pools of dark, _dark_ liquid obsidian. Naruto knew black irises were extremely unusual (almost all 'black' Asian eyes were in fact dark brown), but nonetheless would hardly be surprised if this cop was one of those rare genetic specialties.

But what confirmed Naruto's suspicion was that, at that moment, his eyes were thief's eyes. His gut feeling told him so, and Naruto always followed his gut instinct. Guarded and calculating, it was the look of the hunter and the hunted, simultaneously.

Naruto should know, he'd seen that expression countless other times.

* * *

The spiky-haired blond who made his way towards the suspect wore a casual grin. Lean and tanned, with an angular face and three whisker-like scars on each cheek, the approaching stranger dressed in casual wear earned himself a fleeting, appreciative look-over.

Terribly inappropriate, given the circumstances, but he couldn't help it since that blond really was his type.

Funny though, since he was also definitely a cop on his trail. Through the loose fabric of his pants, it could be seen that his hand was wrapped around what was unmistakeably a gun. His cornflower blue eyes betrayed his wariness; their eyes were _always _cautious, exhibiting forced friendliness to lure him into a false sense of security, before zeroing in for the kill. Not that anyone had ever captured him.

Sasuke should know, he'd seen that expression countless other times.

* * *

Sasuke weighs\ed his options rapidly but levelheadedly in his mind as Naruto came to a stop in front of him.

"Excuse me... do you know the way to the toilet?" Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and Sasuke chuckles, feigning geniality.

"It's just right over there..." he pointed at a direction behind Naruto, stretching his arm over Naruto's shoulder and conveniently placing his hand dangerously close to the pressure point behind his earlobe. Then as quick as lightning, he rammed the point with his thumb before Naruto grasped the jeopardy in his close proximity.

The strike was just hard enough to induce a stupor, without making him fall over. Occupied with searching for a thief, no one noticed as Sasuke, disguised in police attire, strode past a dazed Naruto.

"I'm feeling unwell," Sasuke explained to the guards at the gates, seemingly apologetic. They paid little heed to him, who rounded a bend just as a blond, barely out of adolescence, darted after him.

Right after turning, Sasuke broke into a run, activating his Mercedes-Benz convertible with his car key's encoded infrared beam. The roof retracted and folded away, and he leapt into the driver's seat with practiced ease, stepping hard on the gas.

The automobile was already speeding away when, out of the blue, a quick succession of two bullets were shot, blowing his stolen police cap off. Sasuke's eyes widened in mild shock at Naruto's quick recovery from the blow, and at his marksmanship. The likelihood of shooting a moving target was slight; the average marksman would have nearly no chance of hitting. Despite the technical difficulties, Naruto managed to shoot frighteningly close to his head.

Sasuke cursed under his breath, now that Naruto'd caught a glimpse of his hair. His hairstyle was quite distinctive; dark, long bangs framing his face, and cropped shorter at the back so that it spiked out.

Decidedly impressed with the cop's skills, Sasuke decided that Naruto would make a valuable asset to the Akatsuki.

From then on, Sasuke set his sights on recruiting Naruto through whatever means possible - persuasion, blackmail, or even seduction.

* * *

Naruto swore out loud as the man who was irrefutably proven to be Shadow accelerated away, knowing it would be futile to pursue him further. He panted heavily, lowering himself to a crouch, as the silhouette of the vehicle grew smaller.

_Well, at least I now have a vague impression of what he looks like beneath the mask_, he tried consoling himself. _If only I'd been more alert..._

He resolutely stood and tracked Ibiki down with his eyes, jogging towards him.

"Shadow got away," he breathed urgently. "He was disguised as a policeman." Ibiki sensed the seriousness and certainty in his tone, and growled inwardly.

"There was some skepticism over holding the exhibition here, especially amid the rising crime rates. However, the organizing board went through with it anyway, and look what's happened." Ibiki relayed this information to the officer next to him, and soon the news spread.

However, Naruto was already out of the complex and hailing a cab back home.

* * *

When he got back to his hotel room, he found himself too restless for sleep and settled for plugging his laptop in and doing some online research. After he was done with that, on a whim, Naruto looked 'shadow' up on an online dictionary. There were numerous definitions, but some particularly appropriate ones caught his eye.

--- The darkness following sunset. _He _does_ strike only after the sun sets._

--- A dominant or pervasive influence, especially one causing of gloom, fear, doubt or the like. _That certainly __is what he's making me feel _ _right now._

--- A phantom; a ghost. _He's practically as elusive as one._

_A_lthough, there is one definition he snorts at.

--- Protection; shelter. *

**END.**

* * *

Or will Sasuke prove otherwise?

Chapters are getting progressively longer! I would like to ask for your opinion on this - should I consolidate chapters one and two? Since chapter one looks so pathetically short...

One word: **review **:D! I'm aiming for... i dunno... 17? X(

* All definitions taken from The Free Dictionary and Dictionary. com


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